This invention relates to a soap bar that is generally rectangular in shape that is packaged in a substantially transparent package. More particularly, this invention relates to a substantially transparent package where said package provides enhanced functional properties.
Soap bars traditionally are packaged in paperboard cartons, paper composites and paper composites with a paperboard stiffener. The paperboard in many instances will have a plastic barrier layer. The soap bars are often packed one bar to an overwrapper or carton. The carton provides a rectangular shape for stacking and protects the soap bar until later use. The overwrap and stiffener combination provide a less costly alternative to the carton and has poorer stability in a stack of single packs. These traditional packs have some disadvantages in that the end flaps and seals are not hermetic and allow migration of moisture and fragrance. This loss of water and fragrance from the bar reduces the storage life of the soap bars. In addition, paper soap bar packaging requires the use of mold inhibiting chemicals since moist paper and paperboard provides a good medium for mold growth. No such agents are needed with plastic packaging components.
A further disadvantage of cartons and paper composites is that the purchaser is not able to see the bar that is being purchased. This is fully corrected in the present invention with the use of transparent stiffener and wrapping films to make the package.
A paper composite is comprised of a paper layer along with one or more layers of alternative materials. The paper layer provides a stiff substrate to enhance decoration and strength and provides a surface for sealant deposition. The plastic films provide decoration features and moisture and fragrance barrier properties. The paper composite can be combined with a paperboard stiffener. A paperboard stiffener is a piece of paperboard which surrounds the soap bar except for the ends and provides protection for the soap bar. It also provides a place to make crisp wrapper folds and for good sealing and appearance. However, the paper stiffener will absorb moisture from the soap bar, soften and deform during distribution. Paper stiffeners generally have less stiffness than that of a plastic film of the same thickness and cannot provide the same degree of protection as plastic, particularly after they have absorbed moisture from the soap bar.
The prior art with regard to soap bar packages is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,364 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,012. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,364 there is disclosed a soap bar, a soap bar tray and a film overwrap. The soap bar tray is sufficient to store the bar during use. This tray surrounds the bar except of the top surface. Although the bar can be transparent or translucent, it is quite different from the present soap bar package. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,012 discloses the state of the art of paper soap bar wrappers. The present plastic soap bar packages are an improvement over the packaging of this patent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,429 discloses transparent or translucent soap bars with a toy embedded in the soap bar. Such soap bars can conveniently be packaged in the present package which will allow the toy to be fully seen prior to purchase of the soap bar.
In the present invention the soap bars are wrapped in at least two substantially transparent films. The soap bar is generally rectangular or ovoid in shape. This includes a rectangular saddle shaped bar. The soap bars have rounded edges and a major axis and a minor axis. The cross-section at a midpoint along the major axis will be greater than the cross-section adjacent the soap bar ends along the major axis. The soap bar is substantially enveloped with a first film which is relatively thick and is fully enveloped by a second relatively thin film. Each is substantially transparent. The first film (stiffener) forms an open ended rectangular cylinder, the major dimension of the first film being from about 95% to about 105% of the major dimension of the soap bar. This allows the first film to provide structural protection for the soap bar, but yet to allow a second film (wrapper) to fully envelope the soap bar and first film. This second film is sealed to itself at the ends and on one major panel aligned with the major axis of the soap bar. The soap bar itself provides the surface to which the second film is sealed against. These seals can be referred to as xe2x80x9clapxe2x80x9d seals.
The first (stiffener) film has a thickness that is about 2:1 to about 5:1 times greater than the second film (wrapper) and preferably about 3:1 to 4:1. The stiffness of the first film over the second film is about 7:1 to 35:1 times greater than the first film and preferably about 12:1 to about 24:1. The tear strength of the second film will be about 5:1 to 10:1 times greater than the first film. And the moisture vapor transmission of the entire package will be less than about 3 gm/m2/day. This packaging is not susceptible to mold growth and it has greater puncture resistance.
This package allows a soap bar to be fully viewed through the packaging. This is particularly useful in packaging colored, striated and translucent soap bars. Such soap bars are inherently decorative. This obviates the need for artwork on the packaging film to attract customers. The soap bars in and of themselves can be decorative, translucent or opaque. The intrinsic value of the product is visually conveyed to the customer quickly on the shelf. The customer does not have to purchase the product and wait till later to view the soap bar attributes.
In addition there is the packaging advantage that the package has a generally rectangular shape with greater shape integrity. This makes it easier to stack the packaged soap bars on store shelves. It also provides a shape where the soap bars can easily be combined into larger packs through banded or shrink-wrap units. The rectangular shape with greater shape integrity has these and other advantages.